Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

Blooie said:

You said the “HL” word!

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I am honestly befuddled by those standard temperature recommendations. I am not very experienced - I am only on my second batch of chicks raised by me (unfortunately no rooster allowed). Inspired by this thread I got a heat plate and I love it. I drape a little fleece blanket over the top and down either side to make it more cave like.
This most recent batch started in the bathroom and were clearly too hot most of the time with a room temperature of 73 degrees F. They went under the plate every now and then but even at night were sleeping with their heads outside, and in under a week they were living on top. It wasn’t until I moved them to the garage with temperatures in the 50s that they seemed to really want their heat cave at night.
It is unfortunate for novices like me that those temperature guidelines are everywhere. I felt like I might kill my babies because the room was too cold and they didn’t want to go under the plate. Turns out they just didn’t need to be that warm and there were better things to do in life than huddle under the plate!

There’s a lot of conventional wisdom that makes no sense. No treats until they’re 12 weeks old. Don’t take them outside until temps are in the 80s. Don’t integrate until they already the same size as the adults. Feed according to the ages in the back of the feed bags. Don’t move them out to the coop to live until they are fully feathered and temps are super warm. It’s no wonder new owners get so confused and end up raising little divas instead of calm, confident chicks ready to take their place in the flock.

If a two pound broody hen can successfully raise her brood outdoors among the flock, regardless of weather, and do it without heat lamps, books, charts, experts and web sites, why are we told to do it so differently and think we’re doing it better?

Blooie said:

There’s a lot of conventional wisdom that makes no sense. No treats until they’re 12 weeks old. Don’t take them outside until temps are in the 80s. Don’t integrate until they already the same size as the adults. Feed according to the ages in the back of the feed bags. Don’t move them out to the coop to live until they are fully feathered and temps are super warm. It’s no wonder new owners get so confused and end up raising little divas instead of calm, confident chicks ready to take their place in the flock.

If a two pound broody hen can successfully raise her brood outdoors among the flock, regardless of weather, and do it without heat lamps, books, charts, experts and web sites, why are we told to do it so differently and think we’re doing it better?

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Fortunately I only heard about half of those!

Blooie said:

You said the “HL” word!

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Yeah, I figure the hen doesn't know about MHPs since she IS the MHP

RoyalChick said:

I am honestly befuddled by those standard temperature recommendations.

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Me too. Especially after watching hens raise hatchery chicks out in the barn. Around here they wouldn't see 95 ambient until mid July (and we do NOT like that temp!!). The hen will have them out in the run in 50°F at a week old. They run around like they are perfectly comfortable, little do THEY know!

Blooie said:

Don’t take them outside until temps are in the 80s.

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There is the legitimate "don't put them out WITHOUT supplemental heat until they are fully feathered" advice. Once they are feathered, with or without a MHP or Mama Hen it is game on.

My little ones had a good time with mom today. She fed them cantaloupe, and then they had their first dirt bathes.
I told her not to give them treats. She did not listen.

Yes

Blooie said:

Happy birthday, @azygous!

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Yes! Happy birthday @azygous and thank you for sharing all your wisdom - i have found it oh so valuable as I learn to care properly for my chickens.

Happy birthday @azygous

RoyalChick said:

Yes

Yes! Happy birthday @azygous and thank you for sharing all your wisdom - i have found it oh so valuable as I learn to care properly for my chickens.

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Very nicely put!
Happy Birthday @azygous

Chicks are so different. I've had batches that were done with MHP by week 3 or 4, eh I don't need that thing... But THIS batch, good grief, absolutely addicted to it. I've added "extension legs" when they get tallish in the past. But these ladies still wanted MHP at 9weeks! So I resorted to this... draping it over the wooden crate (heat is low.) I worried at first that that this could be like training them to sleep in nest boxes but thankfully a few of them were already preferring the roost out in front. Finally MHP has been put away until next time but it made me wonder what everyone else does when they start to outgrow it but it's still cold at night and they look like the leaning tower of Piza all packed on and under it...